Kowmap
by Nikku
Summary: OK, so Anastasia isn't a Disney film, but I had to put this somewhere! - oneshot; Dimitri didn't realise how much Anya meant to him, until he almost lost her...


(A/N I watched Anastasia a few days ago and I just fell in love with it! This is probably the most clichéd fic ever, but I just had to add more to the nightmare scene! (Hmmm nightmares seem to be a reoccurring theme with me) Romance isn't my strong point, so please be forgiving. BTW the title means Nightmare in Russian, but as I just used a translator it may not be accurate, and I couldn't use the proper symbols, as fanfiction.net wouldn't allow it.)  
  
Kowmap  
  
Dimitri lay on his mattress completely smothered by the thin folds of the blanket. Two people were speaking over him, their words just slipping past the comprehension of his half conscious ears. It didn't matter - his mind was still too preoccupied about the past evening's events.  
He was dreaming, or his mind was replaying the memory of earlier, either way he could see in perfect detail what had happened on the boat deck. They had danced together, he and Anya. Clad in her new dress she had waltzed under the setting sun with him; it was part of her training to become Anastasia, but it was also something more. Something had changed between them, but what he just couldn't grasp. He didn't know then, and he certainly didn't know now, in his sleepy state.  
It was her, wasn't it? She had changed, not him... Her attire had changed, but her change ran deeper then her clothing. But what was it? Her quick temper and sarcastic attitude was still there in all of its glory; she was still Anya.  
A sudden change in weight at his feel drew him slightly from his sleepy musings; something was moving. He tossed over onto his side, spreading his limbs in the process. He felt his foot connect with something, followed by a thud, but he didn't particularly care.  
The touch of her hand on his shoulder - it was so refreshingly different to the vice like grip or her sharp backhand that she favoured - it had been delicate, gentle. He had almost been afraid that he would break her, which was ridiculous, as she had proven on many occasions that she was just as strong as he was. He had made sure that his hand on her waist was feather light, partly because of her newfound gentleness and partly he wasn't that good at dancing.  
As they had danced he had focused solely on her, and he had wanted to break the silence that had descended on then. His attempt at complimenting her hadn't gone as he planned - he got tongue-tied and it ended up Anya finishing his sentences for him, or pointing out the plainly obvious. His voice had gone to a dreamy whisper, barely audible, and hers had lowered to match it. He had never had problems speaking around her before. What was the matter with him? His stomach was jumpy, his throat was tight and his head felt unusually light. He couldn't stop looking at her, admiring her. She was so beautiful, the dress flowing over her like a liquid, her hair hanging down her back. She moved with such elegance.  
They danced for what seemed like an age, their eyes never breaking contact. What was this feeling? It was unpleasant, but he didn't want it to go away. He hadn't been the only one feeling such things as Anya had commented on the same things a few seconds after he had identified the feeling himself. Slowly they had come to a stop, and he had tried to associate the light- headed feeling to spinning - just in case.  
Just in case what? Just in case she didn't feel the same way about him. Meaning, he was in love with her. Vlad was right - it had been an unspoken attraction, he just didn't know it then. But now, ever since the train accident really, they had grown closer. She still got annoyed with him over certain minor details, such as forgetting to tell her about having to convince Sophie about her heritage, but still, even when he had handed her the dress he had felt something then.  
Stirring a little, Dimitri crossed his arms across his chest - he knew what part was coming next. He grimaced as the scene was replayed.  
They had stopped so close to each other, all it took was a slight movement on his part to close the distance between their lips. He had leaned in, giving her plenty of time to retreat or slap him for his audacity. When she did neither, when she actually closed her eyes and leaned in herself his heart gave a start. He was going to kiss her! He had closed his eyes and... stopped. He let out the breath that he didn't realise that he was holding in, and pulled away from the expectant Anya. Frowning in his sleep he tried to reason why he had done it, or not gone through with it. He loved her, and by her reaction he knew that she loved him back, or at least held some feelings for him.  
No, he shouldn't have feelings for her - she was jus part pf his con, part of his plan to get the 10 million rubles. After all of this they would separate - she would stay in Paris to find her family, and he and Vlad would leave with 5 million rubles each. That is why he didn't kiss her. He couldn't afford for his feelings to get in the way and make him do something that he would regret later.  
But, he did have feelings for her, and so did she for him. Damn it, he was a fool. If he was doing the right thing, why did it feel that he was making a mistake?  
A high pitched whining roused him from his dreamy sleep. That damn dog wanted something. Groaning, Dimitri tried to shake off the annoying, infuriating creature that had proceeded to jump on his face and chest. Go wake Vlad, for crying out loud! He was tired and he had things to sort out in his mind - the last thing he wanted was to be woken by a dog that didn't even like him and was probably doing it out of spite.  
Turning over to try and get away from the tiny paws that were landing on his face and chest, he couldn't help but get drawn back into the world of the living. How on earth was Vlad sleeping through all this? The dog was almost in hysterics - everyone on the ship must be able to hear it.  
"What?" he mumbled in his sleep as he grabbed the dog. He sat up and shook the remainder of sleep from his head.  
"Pooka? Pooka, what?" The dog hadn't stopped barking even though it had his full attention. He looked over to Anya for help as to what was wrong with the creature, but all he saw was an empty bed.  
A feeling of dread filled him as he suddenly became acutely aware of the storm that was raging around the ship. It wasn't safe for her to be up and about! Where had she gone? Why had she gone? The waves crashed into the ship with such force, and were throwing the vessel about as if it were made of paper, not the tons of metal that it was. She'd be killed!  
All form of rational thinking aside, Dimitri leaped up out of his makeshift bed and lunged towards the door were Pooka was barking wildly.  
"Anya!" He threw open the door and hastily and tried run up onto the boat deck - the only place that she could have gone to. The sharp rising and falling of the boat made him lose his balance and crash into the wall opposite their room, but it did nothing to hinder his speed.  
Once on the deck his vision was instantly impaired as a giant wall of water crashed into him, forcing him to the ground. He regained his balance and looked frantically around for any sign of Anya.  
"Anya!" His voice was barely heard over the roar of the wind and the crashing of the waves, and the groaning of the ship. Where was she? He was scared; scared that he had lost her. There was no sign of any human activity on the deck. He let out a cry of frustration, but it was cut short by another great wave knocking him clean off of his feet and crushing him into the icy metal of the floor for the second time. He felt the floor beneath him dropping as the boat tilted dangerously, sending him sprawling across the deck. Fear tore through him, as he felt so powerless against the strength of the salty water. He lashed out and his hand connected with a round piece of metal; a rung! He climbed the ladder on the crow's nest to get to higher ground - he HAD to find her, even if it cost him his life.  
There she was, balancing on the railing of the ship, one hand carelessly holding onto a rigging rope. One foot was raised as if she meant to walk straight off of the edge! His eyes widened in shock - what was she doing?  
"STOP!" His voice was hoarse from all of the shouting, and his features were twisted in panic. He grabbed a rope that was attached to the crow's nest and swung down to her, his only thoughts on how to rescue her.  
"Anya, NO!" She seemed to hear him as her head turned slightly in his direction. She hesitated and placed both feet back on the barrier. She then turned back to face the icy waters and suddenly screamed. He was almost there! She looked as if she was about to fall when landed just behind her on some crates, and he grabbed her waist and pulled her backwards. She started to struggle, lashing out and kicking as he scooped her up in his arms. They both wobbled dangerously as he slowly climbed down to the safety of the deck. She was still struggling against him and whimpering protests in her sleep.  
"Anya" he shouted above the roar of the sea. She didn't hear him. She had been asleep the entire time... "Anya, wake up! Wake up!" His voice was quietening as she slowly calmed her struggles and opened her eyes. She was frantically looking around as if searching for something, or tying to discern why she was outside during a storm. Her breathing was quickening, as the remnants of the nightmare were still fresh in her mind.  
"The Romanov curse!" she whimpered, a sound so rare for her. Dimitri didn't like it.  
"The what?"  
"The Romanov curse!" she repeated her voice on the verge of hysteria.  
"What are you talking about?" She wasn't making sense, and she sounded so frightened. Her hands had made their way to the neck of his undershirt and were gripping the fabric as if her life depended on it. "I keep seeing faces." She cried, burying her face into his chest, her voice shaky with sobs. "So many faces." Her hands released their grip on his undershirt and her arms proceeded to wrap themselves around his waist. She was so close to him - she had never been this close to him before. It wasn't that they had never touched before - he had kissed her hand and danced with her, he had almost kissed her! But now, with her holding him so tightly, seeking comfort and strength from him, it was so different from before.  
He responded to her action by wrapping his arms around her shoulders, holding her. "It was just a nightmare" he assured her, lowering his voice to a gentle tone. He glanced around the deck a little uneasily. The feeling of her so helpless in his arms was nice, but it wasn't very welcome - it was so different from her normal fiery attitude that it unnerved him a little. The fact that she was seeking him for comfort was a surprise, as she had never seemed to need anything like this before.  
When it was certain that she wasn't going to willingly let go of him any time soon he rested his chin on her head. "It's alright, your safe now." She was sobbing still, but she was better than before. Emotion gripped him as it had done earlier, but he felt much more comfortable. He allowed himself to smile a little as he held her.  
She had started shivering, which was understandable given her current state of mind and the conditions in which she was. Her nightclothes were soaked and her hair was plastered to her head. Her crying had almost subsided, but she was still holding onto Dimitri from warmth and support.  
"We had better get you inside" he whispered. He felt her nod, but she didn't want to leave his embrace. They slowly made their way back to the lower levels were their room was, avoiding and further waves and overbalancing. The storm had lessened, but the boat was still moving erratically. Once they made it back to the room, Pooka began barking wildly.  
"Shhhh!" Dimitri hissed - Vlad was still asleep, and maybe it was best if he didn't know what had happened that night. "Anya, wait there a moment." She numbly let go of him and stood in the idle of the room, still in shock because of nearly losing her life. Dimitri wrapped his blanket around her shoulders and rubbed her arms to try and warm her up. "Feel better?" he asked, his voice low. She nodded again.  
"Dimitri, I..." Her voice caught in her throat and she looked as if she was about to start crying again.  
"Yes?" he tried to hold her gaze, but she looked away.  
"I...I'm sorry." He cupped her face in his hand and made her face him.  
"There is nothing to be sorry about" he said. She shook her head.  
"There is, I risked your life tonight, I..."  
"Shh, it's ok. You're safe now." Her eyes filled with tears as she wrapped her arms around his neck.  
"Thank you, thank you"  
"Anya, I..." He held her again, and he carelessly ran his hand through her hair. "I..." Now what? Tell her the truth or..." I think you should get some sleep." She pulled away.  
"What if it happens again?"  
"It's ok, I'll watch over you." She was so close again, all it would take is a small movement and he could close the gap between them and kiss her. She was so beautiful; so delicate and vulnerable.  
He stood up and led her to her bed, trying to shake the reoccurring thoughts of romance from his head. Now wasn't the time.  
"My clothes are wet." Her voice was returning to normal, much more secure and confident. He blinked before responding.  
"Oh, erm, here, have one of my shirts." He went over to his luggage and pulled out a spare shirt. He threw it to her and kept his back to her while she changed. He ran a hand through his messy, salt filled hair. He shouldn't fall for her, well it was to late for that. He had just risked his life for her, he had never truly realised how much she had meant to her until he nearly lost her. She was no longer a part of his con; she was a person, one who he had fallen in love with.  
"Dimitri." He turned around to find her looking a little embarrassed, clad in his long shirt.  
"Anya." He moved towards her and helped her get into bed. She blushed a little more.  
"You ok?" She nodded.  
"I am sorry that you had to see me like this" she said, looking at him with tired eyes. He smiled at her and ran his hand down the side of her face. She sighed and closed he eyes, letting sleep wash over her. Dimitri waited until he was sure that she was asleep, and then he leant over and kissed her gently on her forehead.  
"Goodnight, princess." 


End file.
